1. Field of Use
This invention relates to data processing systems and more particularly to systems which operate in a distributed computing environment.
2. Prior Art
In the 1980's, computer hardware vendors have responded to the need to provide users with access to UNIX* based systems. Some vendors have provided such access by interconnecting or integrating their proprietary systems with UNIX based systems through the use of separate processor boards and separate operating systems. An example of this type of system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,271 entitled "Apparatus and Method for Alterable Resource Partitioning Enforcement in a Data Processing System having Central Processing Units using Different Operating Systems" which issued on Jun. 25, 1991. FNT * UNIX is a registered trademark of X/Open Company Limited
Other approaches include hosting an UNIX environment or process running under a proprietary system and providing external communication/networking functions implemented on a UNIX based platform. These systems allow end user UNIX based systems to use client software to request services from proprietary systems. Examples of these systems are The OPEN7 and OPEN8 systems manufactured by Bull HN Information Systems Inc.
With the continued increases in the speed and power of computer hardware and the development of high speed local area networks, it becomes even more important to be able to combine large numbers of different vendor systems and high speed networks. Such systems are called distributed systems in contrast to centralized systems. The above mentioned OPEN7 and OPEN8 systems are also examples of such distributed systems. Such systems are more economical, provide greater total computing power and provide greater reliability than centralized systems.
However, there are certain problems associated with such systems in terms of the lack of distributed software, network communications and message security. In 1990, the Open Software Foundation, Inc. (OSF), a consortium of computer vendors, announced its choice of a set of integrated services that would provide a comprehensive Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) for the development, use and maintenance of distributed applications without regard to the underlying complexity of the computing network. The DCE architecture is described in the publications entitled, "OSF Distributed Computing Environment Rationale" by Open Software Foundation, Inc. dated May 14, 1990 and "Distributed Computing Environment, An Overview" by Open Software Foundation dated January, 1992.
The DCE architecture envisions support from a platform like a UNIX based platform which includes facilities utilized by such architecture. This poses problems for those vendors which wish to offer such services on a non-UNIX based platform. This problem is further compounded when a vendor wishes to provide such DCE architecture on several different proprietary platforms.
In general, the approach has been to port a substantial number of software services from the proprietary system platform to the UNIX based system platform or visa versa or the addition of special hardware facilities and software for running the UNIX based operating system in another environment. This has proved quite costly and has required the allocation of substantial resources. Additionally, these system platforms have required continuous support in order to provide timely upgrades and enhancements.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a technical solution which allows DCE services to provided in an incremental way on a proprietary system platform.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such incremental services in a timely fashion on several different proprietary system platforms.